Saturday, October 2, 2010

The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan

The Dead-Tossed Waves (The Forest Of Hands And Teeth #2) by Carrie Ryan.Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers.Pages: 416.

Gabry lives a quiet life. As safe a life as is possible in a town trapped between a forest and the ocean, in a world teeming with the dead, who constantly hunger for those still living. She’s content on her side of the Barrier, happy to let her friends dream of the Dark City up the coast while she watches from the top of her lighthouse. But there are threats the Barrier cannot hold back. Threats like the secrets Gabry’s mother thought she left behind when she escaped from the Sisterhood and the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Like the cult of religious zealots who worship the dead. Like the stranger from the forest who seems to know Gabry.

And suddenly, everything is changing. One reckless moment, and half of Gabry’s generation is dead, the other half imprisoned. Now Gabry only knows one thing: she must face the forest of her mother’s past in order to save herself and the one she loves.

The Dead-Tossed Waves, the companion to The Forest Of Hands And Teeth, absolutely succeeded in terrifying me and I loved every second of it. Using the same creepy settings and writing as the first book, this modernized story is a perfect addition to the Unconsecrated world.

In The Forest Of Hands And Teeth, we read about the horror and havoc that the zombies unleashed in a small village in the middle of a forest. But in The Dead-Tossed Waves, we’re set in a city by the ocean, the same ocean that Mary found in Forest Of Hands And Teeth. The city is similar to the village; the residents have their own rules and beliefs of the zombies, or Mudo as they call them. But with buildings, houses and an all-around normal city, this book puts you right in Gabry’s shoes, who struggles to abandon the only life she’s ever known to save the only people she’s ever loved. I felt like Gabry had more of a purpose than Mary did; a bigger objective. And even though this book can be so depressing at times, which is necessary, I couldn’t help but feel hopeful that everything went right and nobody died. This book is definitely a rollercoaster.

Carrie Ryan is a genius with world building. The way she takes care of the emotions, settings and action is so believable that it’s easy to forget that this isn’t actually your world and that there aren’t any zombies lurking outside. Just the smallest things, such as the addition of a Mudo-worshiping cult called Soulers, can be so appropriate and honestly make the book ten times better.

Overall, I was a big fan of The Forest Of Hands And Teeth, but I’m an even bigger fan of The Dead-Tossed Waves. Gabry, Catcher and Elias take us on a journey to find safety in a world full of nothing but horrifying danger. With romance, terror and heart-stopping action, I definitely recommend that you pick this one up!

5 comments:

I met Carrie Ryan on the Smart Chicks Tour and she was such a sweetheart. I haven't read any of her books yet, or any reviews of them so I'm really glad you posted this. I can't wait to start reading it, great review!

Have just finished The Forest of Hands and Teeth and am about to start Dead Tossed Waves and cant wait.... I hope there is something in it that reveals what happened to the others that Mary left behind or to Jed...!